After work, Zhen Bao went to eat with her roommates as usual.
It wasn't until after 10 pm when she climbed into bed that Zhen Bao lied on her side and looked at the private messages Wang Xiu had sent.
Wang Xiu said a lot, a lot. Saying that she had been blaming herself all these years and had been thinking about her, confessions of regret and longing were interspersed with Wang Xiu's memories of Zhen Bao's childhood. These were the parts Zhen Bao had looked at at noon. Then about two hours later, Wang Xiu sent more regretful content hoping she would forgive her, including a black and white photo of Zhen Bao when she was two or three years old.
"This is mom's phone number. Call me if you forgive me. Mom really misses you."
Zhen Bao read every word carefully, and secretly wiped her eyes several times in between.
But in the end, Zhen Bao still added this seemingly newly registered account to the blacklist and deleted the private messages.
She didn't understand what was the point of Wang Xiu saying all this now. Why didn't Wang Xiu think of her when she needed her mother most? Wang Xiu said she regretted it, but what compensation did she make? Even knowing that Dad had passed away, Wang Xiu didn't even think of going to pay respects.
No matter how touching the words, just thinking of Wang Xiu's ruthless actions, Zhen Bao's heart slowly calmed down.
She had no memories of her mother, and now she didn't need anyone to fill the void of a mother.
In the next few days, Wang Xiu continued to register new accounts to send her private messages. Zhen Bao's mood went from complicated at first to calmer and calmer. Later she simply stopped checking Weibo, out of sight, out of mind. On Friday, Fu Ming Shi came to pick her up to spend the weekend at his villa. Zhen Bao didn't say anything about it. She played with his cat Hei Dan Yue Liang, watched movies with Fu Ming Shi, and was still worn out by him as usual at night.
Life was so fulfilling that Zhen Bao almost forgot about Wang Xiu sending those private messages.
Unexpectedly, when she got off work on Monday evening, a woman stopped her at the hospital gate.
It was just September, still quite bright around 5 or 6 pm. Looking at the woman's light makeup features clearly, and meeting the complicated, tearful eyes, Zhen Bao didn't have much difficulty recognizing her identity. But Zhen Bao didn't want to admit it, she went straight to get her bike.
"Feng Bao, you recognize me, don't you?" The last time they met, her daughter was still smiling and asking her what she needed, but today her attitude was cold. Wang Xiu immediately guessed that her daughter had already recognized her, and followed Zhen Bao closely while choking back her tears and pleaded softly, "Feng Bao, mom misses you. Let's find a place to talk, okay?"
Zhen Bao put her handbag in the bike basket, as if she didn't hear Wang Xiu speak, and pushed the bike to leave.
Wang Xiu could no longer hold back. She hugged Zhen Bao tightly and cried out, "Feng Bao, mom knows she was wrong. Mom is sorry to you. Please say something to mom, I'm begging you..."
The woman had a smell on her, Zhen Bao didn't know if it was perfume or the fragrance from her skincare products on her face. Anyway, Zhen Bao didn't like it. This physical dislike suppressed the urge to cry. Holding onto the handlebars, Zhen Bao looked elsewhere and said, "Aren't you afraid the reporters will take photos?"
Wasn't the reason Wang Xiu came looking for her at the hospital before she started sophomore year because she was afraid of exposure and didn't want to recognize her?
"I'm not afraid. As long as you are willing to acknowledge me, I won't be afraid even if others scold me." Wang Xiu hugged her daughter tightly, crying not as hard as before, and looked up expectantly, "Feng Bao, you..."
She didn't get to finish speaking, her left arm was suddenly gripped fiercely, with such great force as if wanting to crush her wrist bones. Wang Xiu gasped in pain, involuntarily let go of Zhen Bao. Only when she drew back her right hand, the person behind her suddenly jerked her back. Wang Xiu was caught off guard and almost fell.
Zhen Bao looked at Fu Ming Shi in shock.
Fu Ming Shi hugged her with one arm, kissed the top of her head comfortingly, then turned his head and looked coldly at the woman who had steadied herself again: "Are you not afraid of reporters taking pictures, or are you certain there won't be any reporters coming today? You know clearly yourself."
Wang Xiu's face, already pale from the shock, turned even whiter. She wanted to explain, but facing Fu Ming Shi's cold and stern gaze, she didn't even have the courage to lie again.
Zhen Bao's face also turned pale. Could it be that the time Wang Xiu came to see her was also carefully planned?
"I pay someone every week to give me news. They told me they saw her come out of the airport with a man." Holding Zhen Bao in his arms, Fu Ming Shi explained in a voice Wang Xiu could hear, "I bought the news and had people keep an eye on them the whole time. Her husband Liu Wei observed outside the A University gate for a week and was certain there would be no reporters to take photos on work days, so she dared to come see you today."
Zhen Bao's experience was still shallow, but connecting it with the private messages Wang Xiu had sent last week, even saying that as long as she was willing to acknowledge her mother, Wang Xiu would immediately come to the capital to see her, she guessed that Wang Xiu's initiative to recognize her this time was not as simple as she claimed.
"I had someone investigate. They have been living in S City these years, with over 10 million in assets, but Liu Wei's company has not been doing well in the last three years and has already gone bankrupt, owing over 4 million in debt." As the woman cried and tried to win sympathy, Fu Ming Shi continued to expose Wang Xiu's background, his tone flat, as if stating something irrelevant to them, not even bothering with sarcasm.
"I guessed she would look for you, but I couldn't figure out what they were sneakily up to last week, so I didn't tell you beforehand in case you worried."
He said this softly into Zhen Bao's ear, sounding a little apologetic.
But what was he apologizing for?
Zhen Bao didn't need Fu Ming Shi to apologize. She just felt cold all over. The first time she received Wang Xiu's private message, she thought Wang Xiu really had a change of heart and wanted to mend their relationship as mother and daughter. She didn't expect there to be such a practical motive behind it. Was it to acknowledge her as daughter first, then try to take advantage of Fu Ming Shi?
"Feng Bao, don't cry. Mom didn't mean it..."
Wang Xiu did come to borrow money, but seeing her daughter so hurt by her that she cried, Wang Xiu also truly regretted it and felt heartache. She rushed over wanting to hug Zhen Bao, but was stopped by Fu Ming Shi's glare. Only then did Wang Xiu lower her head to wipe her tears and cried bitterly, "Feng Bao, don't be like this. Mom didn't deliberately want to take advantage of you. It's just we really can't get by anymore. Your sister needs to study abroad and your brother is still in elementary school..."
"From what I know, you can sell that house of yours for at least 4 million. If you sell it well, you can pay off your debts and still buy a new house in a second or third tier city." The woman was crying and trying to win sympathy, but Fu Ming Shi couldn't stand to listen anymore and impatiently interrupted. He knew Zhen Bao was easily softened. Even if Zhen Bao didn't help, she might feel uneasy if Wang Xiu's family was too destitute. That was why he had people carefully set things up over three years to take back the assets Wang Xiu and her husband had accumulated with the money from Zhen Bao's father, while still leaving room for the Liu family of four.
He knew everything. Wang Xiu was a little embarrassed to be seen through, but with her face covered in tears it didn't show. Thinking of Fu Ming Shi's fortune of over 10 billion, Wang Xiu hardened herself and said, "We're old, it doesn't matter if we live in a small city, but Zhen Bao's younger siblings grew up living in big cities..."
"It seems they are your real children." Fu Ming Shi laughed even more coldly. "When you took the 2 million from the Zhen family, Zhen Bao's family didn't even have a TV. When your daughter wore dresses worth tens of thousands, Zhen Bao couldn't even afford high school. After so many years you never once thought of going home to see Zhen Bao. What right do you have now to ask us to help your daughter study abroad?"
Wang Xiu was left utterly ashamed by his words.
Unable to refute Fu Ming Shi, she pleaded to her daughter with her eyes, hoping to find a breakthrough there.
Zhen Bao cried so hard she was nearly convulsing. To think the closest blood relative came looking for her the second time, and it was for this kind of reason.
"Let's go." Leaning against Fu Ming Shi's chest, Zhen Bao held him tightly, not wanting to look at Wang Xiu again, not wanting to hear another word from her.
Fu Ming Shi first took out the handbag Zhen Bao had put in the bike basket, then swept Zhen Bao into his arms. As he was about to walk past Wang Xiu, he stopped and said coldly, "Leave tonight. If you dare bother Zhen Bao once more, I'll make sure your family of four is disgraced and ruined."
Wang Xiu looked up in horror.
Fu Ming Shi had already carried Zhen Bao away and placed her in his black Maybach, then drove off in a flash.
Wang Xiu stood frozen on the spot, not even noticing when her husband Liu Wei came over.
"What did Mr. Fu say?" Liu Wei anxiously asked, feeling things had gone badly.
Wang Xiu looked at him and suddenly laughed while crying.
Retribution. This was her retribution. She abandoned her pretty and lovely daughter for money. Now she had lost her daughter and the money too.
